Gaston Choral Society concert looks at darkness and light

Gaston Choral Society

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By Andrea Honaker

Published: Wednesday, May 7, 2014 at 12:06 PM.

The Gaston Choral Society’s spring concert will take listeners into darkness and back to the light. Forty members from the all-volunteer choir will perform “Light of Day, Darkness of Night” at Gastonia’s First Baptist Church on Saturday night.

Gaston Choral Society Director Eden Isbell said the concert will feature modern, familiar songs as well as other songs with interesting, untraditional harmonies.

“It’s a wide mix, but most of [the songs] have to do with light and dark in various ways,” she said.

“Come in from the Firefly Darkness” by Amy Bernon is fun and upbeat, while other pieces are more somber and textured, such as Eric Whitacre’s “Sleep,” Isbell said. Other selections include “The Seal Lullaby” and “Water Night” by Whitacre; “Sa Nuit d’Ete” by Morten Lauridsen; and “Omnia Sol” by Z. Randall Stroope.

“It really is an opportunity to stretch ourselves, and we are especially excited to offer this repertoire that goes from our comfort zone to choral music that has a lot of texture and depth to it. We’ve been preparing very hard, and we’d love people to come out and support us,” she said.

The concert will also be a celebration of accompanist Jimmy Brown, who is retiring after playing with the Gaston Choral Society for 22 years. Isbell encouraged anyone who has sung with the group or who knows Brown to come to the event, which will include a special tribute.

“If people really enjoy choral music, and they want to hear the newest, most interesting pieces, they would enjoy [the concert,]” Isbell said. “I think people who just enjoy pretty music would also enjoy pieces from it as well.”

The Gaston Choral Society’s spring concert will take listeners into darkness and back to the light. Forty members from the all-volunteer choir will perform “Light of Day, Darkness of Night” at Gastonia’s First Baptist Church on Saturday night.

Gaston Choral Society Director Eden Isbell said the concert will feature modern, familiar songs as well as other songs with interesting, untraditional harmonies.

“It’s a wide mix, but most of [the songs] have to do with light and dark in various ways,” she said.

“Come in from the Firefly Darkness” by Amy Bernon is fun and upbeat, while other pieces are more somber and textured, such as Eric Whitacre’s “Sleep,” Isbell said. Other selections include “The Seal Lullaby” and “Water Night” by Whitacre; “Sa Nuit d’Ete” by Morten Lauridsen; and “Omnia Sol” by Z. Randall Stroope.

“It really is an opportunity to stretch ourselves, and we are especially excited to offer this repertoire that goes from our comfort zone to choral music that has a lot of texture and depth to it. We’ve been preparing very hard, and we’d love people to come out and support us,” she said.

The concert will also be a celebration of accompanist Jimmy Brown, who is retiring after playing with the Gaston Choral Society for 22 years. Isbell encouraged anyone who has sung with the group or who knows Brown to come to the event, which will include a special tribute.

“If people really enjoy choral music, and they want to hear the newest, most interesting pieces, they would enjoy [the concert,]” Isbell said. “I think people who just enjoy pretty music would also enjoy pieces from it as well.”

Gaston Choral Society spring concert
Theme: “Light of Day, Darkness of Night”When: 7:30-8:30 p.m. SaturdayWhere: First Baptist Church, 2650 Union Road, GastoniaTickets: Available at the door. $10 for students and seniors; $12 for adults; children younger than 12 get in free if accompanied by an adult.Info: www.gastonchoralsociety.org